Chengdu, the Little Chinese Getaway You’ve Never Heard of

In the Sichuan Basin, the southern most district of western China, there is a little city named Chengdu. Chengdu has been referred to the most relaxing and laid back cities in all of China. Locals have a leisurely manner and the overall atmosphere of the markets and neighborhoods is just….comfortable, which is rare in pretty much all of China’s other industrialized cities. Chengdu is well known for its Sichuan cuisine. Compared to the hustle and bustle of Hong Kong and other metropolitan cities, along with pretentious and expensive food, the food of Chengdu is just like everything else, homely and comfortable.

One of the most popular Sichuan dishes is Huiguorou. This is a tender pork dish mixed with roasted peanuts and a spicy chili sauce. There are many variations of this dish, and each food purveyor is going to tell you theirs is the best. It’s quite hard to tell because all the food in Chengdu is excellent.

In different areas of China there are different priorities and regional customs when it comes to restaurants. In Shanghai, food seems to take a backseat to the atmosphere and decadence of the dining environment. In Guangdong, the focus is on authenticity and traditional preparation. In Chengdu however, the focus is simply flavor. Throwing pretension out of the window, the family style settings of Chengdu restaurants are like another world compared to its more glamorous neighbors. Chengdu seems much more like Sunday dinner with the family instead of an exotic meal on the other side of the world.

Another very popular leisure activity in China and especially Chengdu is drinking tea. The teahouses of Chengdu are like the neighborhood pubs and bars of the west. Neighbors and friends will get together daily for the daily news and gossip, enjoying a variety of locally grown teas and listening to all kinds of local performers.

Chengdu is also one of the cheapest areas of southwestern China to eat and travel. The Chengdu way of life is basically built around comfort and getting the most value out of their coin. Travelers to Chengdu can rest assured that they are in for a comfortable, cheap and laid back getaway with friendly people and great food.